Dope-smoking among teens down in many countries

CHICAGO (AP) — Kids on both sides of the Atlantic are smoking less pot and going out less often with friends at night, a study of 15-year-olds in 30 countries found.

The double declines occurred in the United States, Canada and mostly European countries from 2002 to 2006. The trends are likely related, since other research has found that kids who spend many evenings out are more likely to smoke dope than homebodies.

Since few parents approve of marijuana use, teens are most likely to use the drug secretly away from home, said lead author Emmanuel Kuntsche of the Swiss Institute for the Prevention of Alcohol and Drug Problems.

Reasons for the declines are unclear. But the researchers said drug prevention efforts and technology may have contributed.

Instant messaging, e-mail and cell phones "may have partly replaced face-to-face contacts, leading to fewer social contacts in the evenings," Kuntsche said.

The United States ranked third in 2006, with 24 percent of boys and girls each reporting marijuana use. That was down almost 12 percent among boys and 2 percent among girls, echoing previous reports of declining pot use among U.S. teens.